


First Impressions

by Spikedluv



Series: Coming Out (BtVS/QAF) [1]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Queer as Folk (US)
Genre: Crossover, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-02-02
Updated: 2011-02-02
Packaged: 2017-10-15 07:47:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/158645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spikedluv/pseuds/Spikedluv
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Xander continues his road trip after Oxnard and ends up in Pittsburgh.</p>
            </blockquote>





	First Impressions

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place one year before QAF-US season 1 and after BtVS season 3. Xander’s POV.
> 
> This was originally the first part in what was going to be a 3-part series of fic. This story is Gen, the second story would have been Brian/Xander, and the third would have been Brian/Michael and Spike/Xander. Stories 2 & 3 never materialized. :(
> 
> Written: October 25, 2004

September, 1999

When Xander saw the neon sign advertising the diner, he found the first available parking space and pulled in. He’d driven all night to save time and money on a motel room, and he was beat. A meal was just what he needed to get him through the next couple hours. That, and a nap.

Despite the sun hanging high in the sky, he grabbed his jacket and automatically felt for the stake tucked into the inside pocket. Nearly three months and three thousand miles away from Sunnydale, and he hadn’t yet forgotten the need to be aware at all times.

Xander left the top down and didn’t bother locking the car, though he did make sure that all of his belongings were stowed in the trunk before he got out and slammed the door. He jogged across the street and made his way back to the diner he’d passed, unconcerned that anyone would bother stealing his Uncle Rory’s old Buick. He didn’t, however, want to lose his clothes; he couldn’t afford to replace them.

At mid-afternoon on a Tuesday the sidewalk wasn’t that busy. Xander did a double-take when he walked past two men holding hands. He tried not to be obvious, but couldn’t resist a quick peek over his shoulder. The sight of them reminded him suddenly of Larry, and he wondered if Larry had ever had the opportunity to walk down the street holding his boyfriend’s hand before he’d died. Xander shook his sudden bout of melancholy away and continued on.

When he reached the diner, Xander tried to get a glimpse of the interior, but the glare off the windows made that impossible. He pushed the door open and stepped inside. Most of the booths were empty, so he walked to the back and took one in the corner. Before his ass hit the seat, the waitress was at his side.

“Hey, hon, need a menu?” she asked, smiling broadly at him as she snapped her gum.

“Um, yeah. Thanks,” Xander replied, trying not to stare. The woman had bright-red curly hair and wore an outrageously colorful outfit topped by a vest that was almost completely covered with buttons.

“Can I get ya anything to drink while you’re lookin’?” she asked after setting the menu in front of him.

“Yeah, uh....” Xander looked down at the menu to gather his thoughts. “Just a glass of ice water, for now, I guess.”

“Okay.” She gave him another smile, and turned towards the kitchen.

“Um, Miss?”

She turned back, and her smile widened. “Well, it’s been a while since anyone called me ‘Miss’. Why don’t you just call me Debbie?” She tapped her name tag with a well-manicured finger.

“Okay, um, Debbie. Where’s the restroom? I’d like to...wash up.” He held his hands up.

“Right back there, hon.” She pointed the door out to him, and, still smiling, moved off to get his water.

Xander washed his hands and returned to the booth; his water was already waiting for him. He opened the menu and looked it over. During the past couple of months, he’d become a connoisseur of diner fare, and one thing he’d learned was that the waitresses usually knew the best dishes. He closed the menu and placed it on the table. The waitress, Debbie appeared from behind the counter with a loaded tray held high.

“Be right with ya,” she called to him as she headed to a table near the front door.

“Okay,” Xander mumbled, but she was already unloading her tray and chatting amiably with the couple sitting in the booth.

She returned to him with another smile, and Xander wondered how she could still be so cheerful after what must have been a busy shift. She tucked the tray under her arm and pulled out her order pad. “Ready to order, hon?” she asked.

“Yeah,” Xander said, smiling back. He couldn’t help it, her sunny mood was infectious. “Actually, what do you recommend?” he asked.

“Well,” she said thoughtfully as she considered his question. “Luis is on today, so the fajita special is a good choice, if you like that. He also makes a mean chili. That comes with cornbread,” she added. She leaned closer and whispered conspiratorially, “He also makes the best pasta fagioli.”

Xander laughed, and Debbie’s eyes twinkled at him. “I’ll try the chili,” he said. “And could you bring me a glass of milk with that?”

“Sure thing, hon. A growing boy needs his milk.” Debbie carried his order over to the kitchen, calling out, “Hey, Luis, we got another sucker, I mean taker, for your chili!”

A young Hispanic man who looked to be about twenty-five years old appeared in the window. He looked at Debbie with an affectionate shake of his head before glancing over at Xander, who blushed under the other man’s frank regard. Following the direction of Luis’ gaze, Debbie turned her head and looked back at Xander over her shoulder. When she caught Xander’s eye, she winked, which only made him blush harder.

For the next couple of minutes no one paid him any mind, and Xander let his eyes wander around the diner while he sipped his water and waited for his food. It was one of the cleanest diners he’d been in, and Debbie was friendly. Even if it turned out that the food sucked, he was glad he’d stopped here.

The truth was, he was lonely. A road trip across the US had sounded like a great idea at the time, but as it turned out, not so much. At least, not when you didn’t have anyone to share it with. On a good note, at least no one would ever, _ever_ , find out about the debacle that had been Oxnard. Plus, it was a lot more expensive than he’d imagined, especially with the gas guzzler he was driving. Luckily, he’d made enough in Oxnard to pay for car repairs and to get him this far.

He had headed north when he left Oxnard, before making his way east across the United States. He’d recently visited the Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio before heading up to Niagara Falls, which he’d seen from both the US and Canadian sides, quickly coming to the conclusion that the Canadian side offered a better view. Heading south, he’d visited the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, and stopped in Hershey, Pennsylvania, ‘cause, well, chocolate.

He had intended to make Philadelphia his next stop, but a grave error in judgement late the night before—or very early that morning, rather—had him heading west instead of east, which is how he’d ended up in Pittsburgh instead of Philly. Though not originally on his itinerary, it looked like he’d be in Pittsburgh for at least a couple of weeks.

Xander needed to see if he could get a job to replenish his funds. He didn’t need to check his wallet to know how much money he had left: $137.46. Barely enough for gas to Philly, two nights at a cheap motel, and food. Then he’d be broke. He glanced around the diner and noticed a newspaper folded on the counter.

Debbie returned just then and interrupted his contemplation. She set a glass of milk in front of him, and then a bowl of steaming chili liberally sprinkled with shredded cheese, and a plate of warm cornbread.

“You got extra cheese,” she informed him. “Luis is usually stingy with the cheese; he must think you’re cute.” She grinned as Xander turned red once more. “Enjoy.”

Disconcerted, Xander nearly forgot what he’d wanted to ask her. Just as she was turning away, he touched her arm. She paused, and looked back at him. “Need somethin’ else, hon?” she asked.

“No, just.... I was wondering if anyone’s using that paper, or if I could take a look at it?” Xander pointed towards the paper lying on the counter, and Debbie turned to follow his finger.

“I think that can be arranged.” She bustled over to the counter and carried the paper back to him. “Don’t get your heart set on reading anything exciting,” she warned with another one of her warm smiles as she handed it to him.

“Thanks,” Xander said, taking the paper from her. “I’ll try not to.”

He watched her walk away with a wistful sigh, then set the paper down and turned his attention to the chili. It was delicious, and he finished it quickly, not realizing how hungry he’d been. Done, he pushed the dishes back and opened the paper. He glanced at the front page, and then flipped through the Culture and Arts & Entertainment sections before opening the comics.

Debbie reappeared and began to stack up his plate and bowl. “Can I get you anything for dessert?”

Xander hesitated before automatically saying ‘no’. Dessert sounded good, and since he was going to get a job, he should be able to afford it. “What have you got?” he asked.

Debbie gave him a knowing grin, and then reeled off a list of desserts. “All homemade. Anything interest you?”

“Everything,” he admitted. “How’s the apple pie?”

“Excellent. And we just got a delivery this morning, so it’s fresh. Want more milk with that?”

“No, I’m good. Thanks.”

She nodded. “Be right back with your pie, hon.”

Xander turned back to the paper. He read his favorite comic strips, and then flipped to the classifieds. Debbie returned and set the pie and a clean fork down.

“You lookin’ for a date?” she asked curiously.

Xander blushed. “A job.”

“You from around here?”

Xander gave a little laugh. “No. Sunnydale. Southern California,” he added when she looked confused.

“Oh. How on God’s green earth did you end up here?”

Xander smiled sheepishly. “Wrong turn,” he admitted, and Debbie burst out laughing.

“It’d have to be,” she said. “No one comes here on purpose!” She studied him. “Sounds like a story.”

“A long one,” Xander replied.

She slid into the booth opposite Xander and looked at him expectantly. Xander laughed until he realized she was serious.

“But not that interesting,” he warned, his laughter faltering. “And you’ve probably got to get back to work.”

Debbie glanced around the nearly empty diner. “They can get along without me for a bit. Besides, I’m due for a break. Hey, Luis!” she yelled. “I’m takin’ my break.”

Xander heard a muffled voice from the kitchen that he presumed was an affirmative response, since Debbie merely turned avid eyes back onto him. “So, what brings you to our little corner of the world?”

Xander gave her a small smile. “Road trip,” he said, and then found himself telling her his entire story, leaving out the bit about his performance at the Fabulous Ladies Night Club. “So,” he finished, “ending up here....” He indicated the diner. “Was a complete accident.”

“Or fate,” Debbie contributed helpfully.

Xander shrugged. “Either way, I’m running low on cash, so,” he said with a sigh, “I need to find a job.”

“What kind of job are you looking for?” Debbie asked, sounding interested.

“Very unskilled labor,” Xander told her. “I can wash a mean dish.”

“You ever bus tables?”

“You mean, just clear ‘em off?”

“Yeah. And pour water and coffee, stuff like that.”

“No, but I think I could handle that. You know someplace that’s looking?” he asked excitedly.

“I might,” she replied. She looked him over critically. “You gay?” she asked.

“Huh? Wha—? No! Do I look gay?” Xander asked, remembering his conversation with Larry a year ago.

“No, but not everyone who’s gay _looks_ gay,” she admonished gently. “You haven’t been here long, so you may not have noticed, but most of the bars out there? Gay. You’re on Liberty Avenue, hon, the home of gay Pittsburgh. If you’re gonna get a job around here, you’ll be smack dab in the middle of it. I just wanted to make sure you’d be...comfortable with that.”

“Oh.” Xander wondered if it was a sign of some sort that he’d taken a wrong turn and ended up here. “Yeah, I-I guess I’m okay with that. I won’t have to...?”

“Put out?” she said bluntly, and Xander blushed. “No, of course not. But a pretty thing like you? There’ll be plenty who are willing if you give them the slightest bit of encouragement.”

Xander’s eyes went big and he shook his head.

“We’ll just make sure they know up front that you’re not available,” she assured him.

The door opened and Debbie turned to see who was coming in. “Michael! Why aren’t you at work? Is something wrong?” Debbie stood and looked worriedly at the dark-haired man who’d just entered the diner.

“Nothing’s wrong,” he replied. “I’m restocking shelves tonight after closing, so I’m going in late.”

“Oh, all right,” Debbie replied, sounding relieved. “What would you like to eat, then?”

Forgotten, Xander turned his attention back to the paper and pretended to scan the help wanted ads, but the words blurred. All he could think of was Debbie’s comment about fate.

“This is Xander,” he heard her say, and Xander raised his eyes to see Debbie and Michael staring at him.

“Um, hi,” he said, giving a little wave of his fingers.

“This is Michael,” Debbie said. “My son.”

“Hello,” Michael greeted him.

“Sit down, keep him company,” Debbie commanded, and pushed Michael into the booth.

“Ma! He might not want....”

“Nonsense. He’s from Southern California,” she added, as if that explained why Xander would want the company.

“You’ve been pumping him?” Michael asked, indignant on Xander’s behalf.

“Of course not,” Debbie denied heatedly. “Have I been pumping you?” she asked Xander.

He felt like a bug under a microscope. “Uh, well, no.”

“See?” Debbie stormed behind the counter and placed Michael’s order.

Xander turned back to the man now seated across from him, who was still looking at Debbie and shaking his head. “So, your mom?” he asked.

Michael looked back at him. “Yeah. Sorry about the grilling you probably received.”

Xander laughed at the mortified expression on Michael’s face. “No, really, it wasn’t that bad....”

“Told you,” Debbie said as she placed a glass in front of Michael with a little more force than necessary.

“Actually,” Xander added, “I probably bored her stiff.”

“Nonsense!” Debbie denied. “You know, he’s taking a road trip across the United States?”

Michael gave him an impressed look. “Really?”

Xander gave an ‘it’s nothing’ shrug.

“He was just at Niagara Falls, and came down through Hershey,” Debbie proudly supplied.

“Oh, yeah? Where are you headed next?” Michael asked him.

Xander blushed. “Philly.”

Michael frowned in confusion, and then laughed. “Wrong turn?” he asked.

Xander smiled sheepishly and nodded.

Debbie tapped Xander’s shoulder. “Eat your pie,” she reminded him with a mothering tone, and then turned away with a self-satisfied smile.

Xander set the paper aside and talked with Michael while he ate his pie and finished his milk. By the time Debbie returned with Michael’s meal, they were talking animatedly about comic books. Xander was surprised at how easy Michael was to talk to despite their age difference. Like mother, like son, he thought to himself.

Debbie set Michael’s plate in front of him. “Here you go, Michael.”

“Thanks, Ma.”

Debbie grabbed his face and gave him a kiss. “Welcome, sweetie,” she told him. “And this is for you.” She handed a piece of paper to Xander, who looked it over.

“What is it?” he asked.

“Job application,” Debbie replied. “We lost a couple busboys when they had to go back to school. Fill it out. Need a pen?” She pulled one out of her apron and handed it to him. “Want some more water?” she asked as she removed his pie plate.

Xander was sure he looked like a steamroller had run him over. “You mean...you want me to work here?”

“Ma, let him breathe,” Michael gently reproved.

“Of course, here. Where else would I send you?” She gave him a smile, ruffled Michael’s hair, which caused him to roll his eyes at her, and then left them alone.

“She can be a little much,” Michael apologized, “but she means well.”

Xander just nodded, still in shock that things were going so smoothly, and then silently cursed for having just jinxed himself.

“So,” Michael went on, nodding towards the application, “you’re looking for a job? What about Philly?”

“I’m running a little low on funds,” Xander told him. “Road trips are more expensive than you might think.”

* * *

  
Later that afternoon, Xander sat on the bed, looking around the room he’d be staying in for the next couple weeks. He couldn’t believe everything that had happened to him over the course of the day, much less the whole summer. Taking that wrong turn on too little sleep, stopping at the Liberty Diner, and meeting Debbie and Michael might have been the best thing he’d done all summer.

He’d only briefly glanced at the application while Michael was there, preferring to continue their conversation. He hadn’t had anyone to talk comics with since Jesse died. While they were chatting, Debbie stopped by to refill his water, and surreptitiously slipped two lemon squares onto the table, one for him, and one for Michael.

“On me,” she said when he glanced up at her. She winked at him. “You’re both growing boys.”

“Thanks, Ma,” Michael responded after he swallowed and took a sip of his drink.

“Thanks,” Xander said appreciatively, and not with a little bit of wonder.

When Michael was done eating, he’d leaned back in the booth and groaned. “Tonight is going to be a long one. I’m not looking forward to it.”

“Where do you work?” Xander asked.

“The Big Q over on Buckley,” Michael replied as he pulled his wallet out. “I’m one of the assistant managers now, and as the new guy, I get all the really fun jobs.”

“Yeah, restocking shelves, that sounds like fun,” Xander commiserated.

Michael put some money down on the table. “It was nice meeting you, Xander,” he said. “And since you’re gonna be working here, I guess I’ll see you around.” He held his hand out.

“It was nice meeting you, too,” Xander said, clasping the proffered hand.

After Michael had left, Xander carefully read over the application. Debbie had cleared and wiped down the table while he filled it out. When it was complete, he’d reviewed it, and then nervously played with the edges.

Debbie had sat down across from him. “Done?”

“Yeah,” he said nervously, sliding the sheet over to her.

“Where are you staying?” she asked.

Xander made a face. “I was kinda hoping you could suggest something close by. And cheap.”

“Anything close by wouldn’t be any place you’d wanna stay,” Debbie told him. “You’d never get any sleep, if you get my drift.”

“Ahh,” Xander said. He’d known exactly what she meant, having stayed at a couple of those types of motels during the course of his road trip.

“I do know of one place that might serve. If you can wait for a couple minutes until my shift ends, I’ll show you how to get there,” Debbie offered.

“Yeah, sure!” Xander perked up. “That would be great. Thanks. I really appreciate it.”

“No problem,” Debbie assured him as she hurried away with his application.

While he’d waited for her, Xander nervously shredded a napkin. You’d think he’d be used to meeting new people after three months on the road, but it never got easier. He’d lucked out this time, meeting someone as outrageously outgoing as Debbie, who was willing to help him out. He was shaken from his thoughts when Debbie reappeared at his side, pulling her jacket on.

“Can you start tomorrow?” she asked.

“I, um, wow, yeah, that’d be great,” Xander said, his emotions swinging between exultation and relief. “I.... Don’t I need to interview with anyone?”

She winked at him. “You did.”

“Oh. Thank you,” Xander said, his voice loaded with feeling.

“You’re welcome, sweetie,” Debbie said. “You ready to get out of here?”

* * *

  
A knock on the door drew his attention, and Xander’s eyes focused on the wallpaper he’d been staring sightlessly at. “Yeah?”

The door glided silently open, and Debbie poked her head around it. “You settling in okay?”

“Yeah, I.... Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked for the hundredth time. “I mean, you don’t even know me. I could be a serial killer who murders you in your sleep and steals all your valuables.” He indicated the Captain Astro lamp on the bedside table. “Or, you know, bores you to death,” he added when Debbie raised her eyebrow in amusement.

“I’ll take my chances, hon,” she told him. “You’ve been on the road since yesterday morning, why don’t you go ahead and take a shower if you want, while I finish up dinner? Then you can call your friends and get an early night. You look exhausted, and five-thirty comes early.”

It had been a long time since anyone had cared whether he got enough sleep. The fact that this stranger had even noticed his tired state, much less felt concerned about it, created a slight ache in his chest. Xander’s voice hitched when he said, “Good idea, thanks.”

Debbie was pulling the door shut when Xander stopped her. “Luis, is he...?”

Debbie grinned at him. “What do you think?” Xander’s eyes got big. Debbie laughed. “Don’t worry, hon, he’s got a boyfriend.”

* * *

  
Xander had been in Pittsburgh for five days, and he’d worked at the diner every day. Even with him there, the diner was still short a busboy, and Xander needed the money. He was lucky, in that they were willing to schedule him to work with Debbie for the first week until he became acclimated to living in a strange city.

He’d worked the morning shift the first two days, graveyard for a day, and then the dinner shift. Now that Sunday had rolled around, he was back to morning. He preferred mornings because, even though some of the customers were grouchy, most could be appeased with a quickly served cup of coffee, whereas the late night crowd included guys high on a variety of drugs, and Xander had already been hit on half a dozen times.

Debbie just laughed, and told them to leave Xander alone, loudly stating that he ‘didn’t take it up the ass.’ The first time she’d said that—actually, every time she said that—Xander had wished the floor would open up and swallow him, but Michael might have been even more embarrassed.

Xander saw Michael again his first morning at the diner. He’d come in with a couple of his friends and they took seats at the counter because all the booths were full. Xander overheard one of Michael’s friends say, “My, my, my, have you seen the new busboy? Where’d they find him? He’s cu-u-ute.” Xander couldn’t hide the blush that he felt creeping up his neck. “Ooh, innocent, too.”

Debbie slapped the back of the other man’s head. “Leave him alone, Emmett,” she instructed. “He’s not your type.”

“Why, is he a bottom, too?” Emmett asked, pouting.

“‘Cause he doesn’t take it up the ass,” Debbie declared as she hustled past.

“Ma!” Michael yelled, while Xander nearly dropped the tub of dirty dishes he was carrying.

“I don’t need him to take it up the ass, I need him to....”

“Emmett!” Michael turned his ire on the other man.

“What’d I say?” Emmett had asked in pretend innocence.

“Christ,” Debbie muttered. “I thought he’d have to worry about Brian, not you, Em.”

Xander carried the full tub into the kitchen and emptied it, then returned to the counter area. He wanted to crawl into a hole, but all three men were staring at him. “Um, hi, Michael,” he said, blushing.

“Hi, Xander,” Michael replied, giving him an apologetic look. “I’m sorry about Emmett, and _Ma_.” He turned and spoke loudly so Debbie could hear him, and she gave him the finger over her shoulder. Xander’s eyes widened even more.

Michael turned back to him. “These are my friends, though I’m embarrassed to admit it right now.”

“Hey, what did I do?”

“Okay, not you, Ted. Xander, these are Emmett...”

Emmett winked at him. “Hey, sugar.”

Xander swallowed hard. “Hi,” he squeaked.

“...and Ted.”

“Hello, Xander,” Ted said, holding his hand out. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Xander shook it. “Hi. Thanks. Nice to meet you, too. Both...of you.”

All morning he’d found himself studying each person as they came in, trying to see if he could tell which ones were gay. What he’d discovered was that Debbie had been correct—you couldn’t tell, most of the time. Just as he hadn’t known with Larry who, even after he came out, didn’t act ‘gay’, whatever that meant. Emmett, however, with his flashy clothes, mannerisms, and personality was the exception to the rule.

After greeting Michael and his friends, Xander continued working while they ordered and ate. He paused in clearing a booth to say goodbye to them when Michael called over to him. His eyes drifted to Emmett, who winked and finger-waved at him. “See you around, sugar!”

The guys showed up again the next morning for breakfast, and this time Xander was better prepared, though he still got flustered when Emmett slipped a tip into his front jeans pocket while Ted rolled his eyes and Michael hissed, “Emmett!”

While he was working, Xander overheard Debbie ask where Brian was. He remembered that she’d mentioned that name the previous day when Emmett had been teasing him, and his ears perked up.

“His firm sent him to that conference in New York,” Michael told her.

“Oh, that’s right, I forgot,” Debbie said, and then proceeded to take their order.

Friday night was Xander’s first experience with the late night bar crowd. The men and women who frequented the Liberty Diner didn’t get too rowdy and out of hand, but they made it clear that they were more than willing to take Xander in hand if he wanted. He speedily learned how to evade a pat on the ass or a quick grope, even with both hands full. At one point, when Xander was doing more evading that working, Debbie’s shrill whistle rent the air.

“Look, boys,” she said, “I know he’s cute, but he’s not available. And since I’m getting tired of repeating myself, he does not. Take it. Up the ass. Now, if you want to get seated, or served, you’re gonna have to stop trying to feel him up and let him do his job. I’m talking to you, Zeke!” she grated, turning in time to see Xander dodge a grope from the man in question. “Don’t make me throw you out.” She looked around the diner like a drill sergeant, and then turned back to Xander. “Finish clearing that table so these nice folks can have a seat, will ya, hon?”

Xander nodded, glancing briefly at the ‘nice folks’ in question, who wore leather and had more piercings than he could count. Later in his shift, Michael showed up with his two friends. Xander carried over ice water and coffee, and greeted them hastily before rushing off to clear another table. He hadn’t realized that the graveyard shift would be this busy. As he hurried back and forth with dishes and coffee, Xander couldn’t help overhear some of their conversation, which boiled down to the fact that the night had been pretty boring without Brian around to entertain them.

Before they left, Michael came over to where Xander was clearing off a table. “Hey, we’re taking off.”

“Okay,” Xander said, stopping what he was doing since he got the feeling that Michael wanted to say something else.

“Listen, I was wondering, you working tomorrow?”

“Yeah, afternoon, I think,” Xander said.

“Oh. Well, I was wondering if you wanted to come over and look through my comic book collection?” Michael asked hesitantly. “I have the neatest robot....”

Xander got excited. “Yeah! I mean, that would be great,” he said, trying to sound a tad less enthusiastic. “What, um, what time?”

“How much sleep do you need?” Michael asked.

 

* * *

  
Xander had called Michael when he woke up on Saturday and spent the couple of free hours he had before his shift at Michael’s apartment, looking at comic books and collectibles. The whole place looked like a shrine to Captain Astro, which he should have presumed given the decor of the bedroom he was sleeping in, and made his own comic book collection look meager by comparison. What he hadn’t counted on, though, was the man who opened the door to him when he knocked.

Emmett was wearing a well-worn pair of low-slung gray sweat pants and a t-shirt emblazoned with the logo “Queens College”. He leaned against the door frame and looked Xander over. “Hey, sugar,” he greeted.

“Uh, hi,” Xander said with difficulty, since his mouth had gone dry. “I’m looking for Michael.”

Emmett smiled at him and stood back with a little tilt of his head. “Well, come on in, Michael will be right out.”

The man in question had appeared before Emmett finished speaking, to find Xander still standing in the hallway. “Hey, Xander! Come on in.”

Xander stepped gingerly across the threshold, suddenly wondering if this was a good idea. He stepped quickly to the side when Emmett reached around him to close the door, knowing he must look skittish, but unable to help himself.

“Ah, you remember Emmett, right?” Michael asked.

“Um, yeah,” Xander said, ducking his head and glancing warily at Emmett.

“I...might have forgotten to mention that Emmett lives here, too.”

“Yeah, that’s, um, fine,” Xander said, wishing he believed that. Not that he was confused about his own sexuality, because he wasn’t, despite what Larry had believed, but Emmett’s teasing looks and comments made him...uneasy. Even more uncomfortable, for some reason, than the guys at the diner Debbie had to run off for him. But certainly not because he thought he liked guys, ‘cause he was straight. Totally straight. One hundred percent straight. You’d have to be to go out with Cordy, right?

It was just that, well, Emmett was the first guy to come on to him so blatantly, even if he was only teasing. Emmett winked at him and gave him another exaggerated once over, which, oddly enough, broke through his discomfort, and Xander couldn’t help laughing at Emmett’s over-the-top leer. “Just, man, don’t look at me like I’m just a piece of meat,” he said.

“Oh, honey, now where’s the fun in that?” Emmett asked with a wave of his hand and a switsh of his hips as he turned away and headed into the kitchen. “Want a sandwich?” he called back in a normal tone.

Xander turned confused eyes onto Michael, who shrugged, and said, “That’s our Emmett. Have you eaten?”

“Um, no, but you don’t have to....”

“Well, come on and get something, and then I’ll show you my collection.”

Michael headed for the kitchen and Xander got his first view of the room without his mind befuddled by Emmett’s teasing. “Holy moly!”

A huge cardboard figure of Captain Astro hung on one wall, and shelves around the room were loaded with figurines. He turned his head and looked over at Michael, who had stopped on his way to the kitchen.

“Captain Astro’s my favorite,” he said.

“I can see that,” Xander responded, awed. “Where’d you get that?”

Michael started towards him. “Brian and I went to a comic book convention about, oh, ten years ago, and....”

“Come and eat, girls!” Emmett called. He peered out from the kitchen. “Food now, men in body hugging tights later.”

“Wow, never thought I’d hear you say that, Emmett!” Michael joked.

“Hardy har har,” Emmett said with a toss of his head, and then disappeared back into the kitchen.

During the course of his visit with Michael and Emmett, Xander had heard an awful lot about Brian Kinney, from the fact that he was Michael’s best friend since they were both fourteen, to the fact that he was the hottest thing on Liberty Avenue, and a complete prick on occasion, which was translated to mean ninety-five percent of the time, as Emmett revealed in a stage-whisper.

Spending the day looking through comic books with his new friends, Xander couldn’t help but think about Jesse. He wondered if they’d still be close friends if Jesse were alive. He also wondered what kind of man could be as self-absorbed as Brian Kinney sounded, and still hold Michael’s affection for over twelve years.

He found out the next morning when Brian slid into the booth with Michael, Ted, and Emmett while Xander was pouring coffee. Xander glanced at the newcomer and raised the pot he held. “Coffee?”

“Yeah,” the stranger grumbled, turning his coffee cup over.

“Late night?” Ted asked drolly.

“Early morning,” the other man replied. “He kept me up fucking all. Night. Long.”

“Geez, Brian,” Michael said. “I don’t think everyone here wants to know all that.”

“Speak for yourself,” Emmett replied saucily. “Right, sugar?”

Xander blushed, and then reached out and tweaked Emmett’s ear before he walked over to the counter for another menu for the new guy, who was obviously the mysterious Brian Kinney, the hottest thing to hit Liberty Avenue since, well, ever. Xander placed the menu in front of Brian, and looked at Emmett, who was still rubbing his ear and pouting.

“That hurt,” he announced. “I think you need to kiss it and make it better.”

Xander, more used to Emmett’s teasing banter since having spent part of the previous day with him, said, “All right.” He began to lean towards Emmett, then halted suddenly. “Oh, looks like someone needs a coffee refill.” He walked away, coffee pot held high.

“It’s not nice to tease,” Emmett’s voice drifted after him.

“Some of us take what we can get,” Ted muttered.

Xander smiled as he refilled coffee, got water, and cleared tables. This was the first time since he left Sunnydale that he was actually having a good time on his road trip, even if he was working in a diner deep in the heart of gay Pittsburgh.

On one of his trips around the diner to refill coffee cups, he stopped again at Michael’s table. While Xander was pouring, Michael said, “Xander, I’d like you to meet Brian. Brian, this is Xander.”

Brian’s eyes raked him over with disdain, and Xander was suddenly back in high school again, or worse yet, the elementary school playground. “So, you’re Debbie’s stray,” Brian said condescendingly.

“Xander likes comic books, too,” Michael went on as if he hadn’t noticed the tension in the air.

“Why am I not surprised?” Brian asked no one in particular.

Xander could see that Ted and Emmett were fidgeting uncomfortably at Brian’s rudeness, though from the looks on their faces and the comments Emmett had made previously, they were used to it. Before they felt the need to intervene, Xander said, “Ahh, Brian Kinney. I’ve heard a lot about you.” He let his eyes wander over Brian as if he was studying him intently. “I thought you’d be, I don’t know, bigger.”

Brian shot him a narrow-eyed glare, and it took all Xander had to keep a straight face.

“Everything all right here?” Debbie asked with concern as she stopped beside Xander.

Xander turned to her, smiling. “Everything’s fine,” he assured her.

“Then, Xander, hon, could you clear the table in the back?” she asked, her tone colored with suspicion.

“Sure.” Xander went to put the coffee pot up, and Emmett’s and Ted’s laughter rang out behind him. With his back to the table, he allowed himself a small smile of victory. Debbie looked at him quizzically, and Xander just winked at her.

“Shut. Up,” he heard Brian mutter to the two laughing friends.

* * *

  
Three weeks later Xander worked his last shift at the diner. After his first week, they’d hired another bus boy, and Xander had stayed on with the understanding that he’d be replaced when they found a second bus boy who could take the job on a more permanent basis to fill the other vacancy. Now that they had, Xander was out of a job. But at least he’d be heading back to Sunnydale with pockets more full, and a group of friends he never would have met if he hadn’t gone on his seemingly disastrous road trip and taken a wrong turn. As Debbie had said on the first day he’d met her, fate.

The past three weeks hadn’t been _all_ work. Family dinners with Debbie and Vic, and sometimes Michael, were common, and made Xander wish his own family had been more like that. He’d also spent most of the weekends when he wasn’t working at Michael and Emmett’s apartment, reading comics, watching movies, or gabbing. It was oddly like spending time with Buffy and Willow. Except for the teasing sexual banter. On a couple occasions, they’d even convinced him to go to Woody’s and shoot some pool, but he’d always begged off when they left to head to Babylon.

Earlier that week, Debbie and Vic had taken him to the Big Q to show him where Michael worked, and then to Torso, the clothing shop where Emmett worked. He’d been too slow with the refusals and denials of how good he looked in them, especially when Debbie had gotten onboard, and he was now the proud owner of a pair of form-fitting black jeans, black boots, and a skin-tight sage green t-shirt that had mesh panels up the sides. He considered himself lucky that he’d escaped the store before Emmett could convince him to purchase the lime green leather pants and hot pink mid-drift tee.

With a sigh, Xander looked at himself in the mirror and wondered, not for the first time, what on earth he thought he was doing. Michael had said that he wanted to take Xander out before he left. Ted and Emmett had immediately added their voices to Michael’s as he’d tried to tell Xander what a good time he’d have, and how they wouldn’t leave him alone for a minute, it would just be a group of friends dancing and drinking, nothing to worry about....

When Debbie heard of the idea, she urged Xander to go. “You haven’t gone out and had any fun since you got here,” she’d said, squeezing Xander’s cheeks. She rode over Xander’s protestations that he’d gone to Woody’s with an encouraging, “Make your last weekend here _shine_! Don’t worry, my boy’ll take care of you.”

All the cajoling in the world couldn’t make him agree to hang out in a gay club, especially after finding out that his ‘virgin ass’, as one guy so nicely put it, ‘was a sweet temptation.’ He was ready to say a final ‘no’ when Brian said, “Leave him alone. He doesn’t have to go if he doesn’t want to.”

Xander caught the dare in Brian’s tone, as well as the challenging gleam in his eyes. Before he could stop his mouth, his ‘no’ turned into a ‘yes’ that had the guys in the booth hooting and hollering with excitement while Xander staggered into the kitchen and proceeded to hyperventilate.

Now he was trying to get a look at himself in the mirror above the dresser. He was wearing for the first time the outfit Emmett and Debbie had talked him into getting, and it was so not his usual style that Xander felt like he was looking at someone else.

There was a knock on the door, and then it was pushed open to admit Debbie. “Well,” she said, “don’t you look _wonderful_!”

“I don’t know,” Xander said worried. “It’s not really me.”

“Oh, sweetheart, it most certainly is! You look amazing, and you’re gonna knock their socks off,” Debbie assured him, then reached out and fussed with his collar.

“Just so long as they keep their pants on,” Xander muttered.

Debbie squeezed his shoulder. “Don’t worry, Michael will be there to discourage the ones who won’t take ‘no’ for an answer,” she said. “You just have some fun.”

Xander heard the door open downstairs, and then new voices, and it was suddenly too late for him to change his clothes for the comfort of baggy pants and bright colors to hide behind. Footsteps pounded up the stairs, and Emmett and Michael collided as they came through the doorway, laughing and pushing each other.

“Michael Charles Novotny!” Debbie yelled, and both men stopped their roughhousing.

“Sorry, Ma.”

“Sorry, Deb.” Emmett was the first to recover. “Oh, sugar, don’t you look _fabulous_! I call first dance!” he squealed.

Brian was leaning against the wall in the kitchen talking to Vic when they all tramped back downstairs. Xander had grabbed his jacket, realizing that there was no place in these jeans he could carry the stake. He’d yet to see a vampire in Pittsburgh, but he wasn’t willing to take the chance of going out after dark without some sort of protection. Though he’d rather have had Buffy, he’d take the stake.

Brian gave him a once-over, but didn’t say anything to him, instead turned to Michael and asked, “You ready?”

“Yeah, we’re ready,” Michael replied excitedly.

“Oh, yeah,” Emmett agreed. He grabbed Xander’s arm and led him towards the front door. “I’ll sit in the back with Xander.”

Xander laughed and let himself be propelled out to Brian’s Jeep. They met up with Ted at Woody’s, where Xander managed to relax after a couple beers and a game of pool, which he still played just as poorly as he had at The Bronze. A couple hours later they headed to Babylon.

He was nearly blown away by the sights and sounds when they entered the club. Music pounded, lights flashed, and bodies in all manner of outfits writhed on the dance floor. Brian sauntered over to the bar, and the rest of them followed. Michael asked what he wanted to drink, but Xander figured he’d had enough alcohol, since he wasn’t used to drinking, and he wanted to keep his wits about him. He declined, and Emmett immediately grabbed his hand.

“I’ll take the usual,” Emmett said, then snatched Xander’s jacket out of his hand and tossed it to Michael. “We’ll be out on the dance floor,” he announced.

The last thing Xander saw was Michael’s grin and Brian’s eyebrow raised in amusement at his predicament as he was dragged off. The others soon joined them, and Xander was kept dancing for hours, except for breaks for drinks and trips to the bathroom, which Xander made sure were chaperoned by Michael or Emmett.

The highlight of the evening, according to Michael, Emmett, and Ted, was the opportunity to see Brian in action. During their drink breaks, they’d stand at the rail on the upper level and watch Brian choose his trick, and then proceed to pick him up. Xander was insanely jealous, wishing he could have even one percent of the other man’s success, or at the very least, his ‘I’m all that’ attitude, to use on the ladies.

To his surprise, Xander found himself not only having a blast, but getting excited. Sexually excited. It wasn’t the first time that he’d been stimulated by being in the same room with a bunch of hot, sweaty guys, but it was unnerving just the same. Just as he was getting aroused to the point where he couldn’t ignore it, he saw something that made his blood run cold.

It could have been the lighting that made the eyes of Michael’s dance partner flash golden. Or it could have been the scent of blood rushing through the veins of all the oblivious dancers. Xander studied the blond and noticed that he wasn’t sweating as much as the crowd around him was.

He got Emmett’s attention and sidled close to him, told him, “I’ve got a bad vibe about that guy.” He indicated the blond dancing with Michael. “I don’t think he’s here just for the sex.”

Emmett looked worried. “What do you mean? You don’t think he’d try to hurt Michael, do you?”

“That’s exactly what I think,” Xander replied.

“Well, we’ve got to get Michael away from him!”

“I agree, but let’s not be obvious....”

Before he finished speaking, Emmett had moved up to Michael and they were involved in a three-way dance. Michael grinned up at Emmett, and when he looked away, Emmett gave Xander a jerk of his head. Xander didn’t give it a second thought when he stepped up to Michael and managed to maneuver himself between Michael and the blond.

Xander was shaking when he turned to the blond, leaned in so he wouldn’t have to scream over the music and chance Michael hearing, and said, “Get lost!”

“I don’t think so,” the blond said, his lips curled. “He’s mine.”

“Wrong,” Xander said. Something made him brave—the beer he’d drunk, concern for his friend—and he slowly lifted his hand and placed his finger tips on the blond’s neck, just below his ear. Just as he’d feared, there was no heartbeat. “He’s ours,” Xander continued more softly, knowing the vampire could hear him, “and if you don’t leave, I’ve got a stake with your name on it.”

The vampire snarled and his eyes flashed yellow. “You’ll be sorry you interfered,” it said, and then whirled and disappeared into the crowd.

Michael was dancing with Ted, seemingly unaware that his dance partner had left, and Emmett grabbed Xander’s arm. “Holy crap, did you see his _eyes_? What in hell is he on?”

Xander couldn’t speak. He was still shaking in fear, and his tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth.

“Xander, you okay?” Emmett asked.

“What was that all about?” Brian demanded from his other side, where he’d suddenly appeared out of the throng.

* * *

  
Twenty minutes later they were huddled in the otherwise empty bathroom, where they could talk without the blaring music. Xander leaned against the wall, arms crossed defensively over his chest, fingers resting comfortingly on the stake inside the jacket he’d insisted on retrieving.

“Vampires?” Brian scoffed. He gave Michael a look that clearly said, ‘Do you believe this guy?’.

“Look, I know it’s hard to believe....”

“It is kinda....outlandish,” Emmett said.

“Fantastic,” Michael added.

“Crazy. Insane?” Ted suggested.

“It is. It’s all that, and more. But it’s real. I didn’t believe it at first myself, but trust me when I say that monsters are real. Don’t....” He choked on his words. “Don’t wait until you lose someone before you believe, and for god’s sake, take some precautions to protect yourselves.”

“Like what?” Michael asked.

“You can’t be taking this seriously,” Brian said derisively.

Xander ignored him. “Just, well, be careful who you pick up, first of all.”

Everyone looked at Brian.

“Yeah, that’ll happen,” Ted voiced all their thoughts.

“I mean, this is a perfect place for vamps to find their next meal,” Xander continued.

Brian stuck his tongue out at Ted. “What do you suggest we do?” he asked sarcastically.

“Well....” Xander hesitated. He’d never been the one on the teaching end before. He was normally on the learning end. And also the end that got pummeled regularly. “You could start by making sure they’re breathing.” They looked at him like he was an idiot. “Seriously. Vamps don’t breathe. I mean, they _can_ , but they don’t have to, and don’t usually bother pretending to.... Uh, they also don’t have a pulse, and they probably won’t be sweating, even out on the dance floor. They have no body heat, sorta room temp. What else, what else?” he mumbled.

“Oh, yeah, there’s the more obvious stuff, but that shouldn’t come into play here, ‘cause they probably don’t want to draw attention to themselves, but their faces change. They get big, ugly ridges on their foreheads, and their eyes turn yellow.”

Emmett shuddered. “ _That_ was creepy.”

“And what, exactly, are we supposed to do if we find one of these...vampires?” Brian asked, rolling his eyes and looking bored.

Xander sighed. Brian obviously thought he was humoring a mentally deranged individual. “If you were me? Call Buffy. If you were Buffy? Kick their asses.”

“Buffy?” Ted asked.

“Yeah, my friend Buffy. The Vampire Slayer.”

“Buffy the Vampire Slayer?” Emmett repeated incredulously.

“God,” Brian groaned, “that sounds like the title of a bad movie Mikey would drag me to.”

“The name might not strike fear, but believe me, she’s wicked strong. And so are vampires, by the way. Anyway, aside from a plea for help, you can kill a vampire by staking it through the heart with a wooden stake.” Xander dug into the pocket inside his jacket and pulled his stake out. “Like this.”

“Jesus!” Michael jumped back.

Xander ignored him and continued. “Anything wooden will do, pencil, chop stick, pool cue.... Also, decapitation, if you happen to have an axe or sword handy.”

“And who doesn’t?” Ted asked.

Xander shot Ted a small smile. “Holy water won’t kill ‘em, well, maybe if you dump ‘em in it, but it will burn, as will crosses, and may buy you time.”

“To run like a girl?” Brian asked.

“Brian!” Michael slapped his arm.

“Hey,” Xander said, “I’ll have you know that running like a girl has saved my life on several occasions. If that’s what it takes to stay alive, then you do it. And don’t even think about taking one on by yourself.”

“Well, if I ever come across one,” Brian said skeptically, “I’ll be sure to remember that.”

“Um, Xander?”

“Yeah?” Xander glanced at Emmett, and then turned to look where he was pointing. The blond vampire stood in the doorway.

“I thought we locked the door,” Ted said.

The vampire held up the piece of the door it had ripped off.

“We did,” Michael responded.

“Well,” the vampire said, “lookie here. Dinner.”

“Say, are you really a vampire?” Emmet asked, his tone part fascination, part fear.

“Yeah, and I’m hungry,” the vamp replied, and then morphed.

“Okay, I’m all for running like a girl,” Ted said.

“Except, he’s between us and the door,” Michael reminded them.

The vampire sniffed the air. “It’s like a smorgasbord in here.” He looked them all over. “Where to start?”

Xander stepped forward on trembling legs. “Start with me,” he replied, his voice a tad shaky. He gripped the stake at his side.

The vampire looked him over, and then easily backhanded him aside. “Nah, I want him.” It pointed to Michael.

“Oh, you know, I don’t think so,” Brian said, moving to stand between the vampire and Michael, and taking up a defensive stance.

The vampire moved swiftly and punched Brian, knocking him to the floor, then took Ted and Emmett out with one kick, throwing them into the wall. It shook its hand out. “Man, I love that! You know,” it told Michael, “I couldn’t even walk down the street with out tripping over my own feet before I became a vampire. And now....” It looked at Michael and smiled hungrily. “Well, let’s just say, things have changed. So, where were we, before we were so rudely interrupted?”

Xander climbed unsteadily to his feet and rushed the vampire from the rear, his stake arm raised. The vampire twirled and grabbed his wrist. “Well, you really did have a stake. But it doesn’t have _my_ name on it.”

It squeezed Xander’s wrist, grinding his bones together until his grip on the stake loosened and it fell from slack fingers. The vampire caught it and drew its arm back, aiming for Xander’s heart. The blow went wide and skidded over Xander’s shoulder when Michael jumped the vampire.

The vamp threw Xander away from him and he hit the floor hard. He saw the vampire pull Michael close. Shit! Xander thought. He’d lost his only weapon, and his strength was no match for the vampire’s. And then he suddenly remembered that he’d seen Brian smoking on occasion. He crawled over to the still-stunned man and began going through his jeans pockets.

“Now’s not really the time,” Brian managed to get out, shaking his head and trying to clear it.

“Lighter, lighter,” Xander chanted frantically.

Brian pulled the lighter out and handed it to Xander.

“Get ready to pull Michael away from it,” Xander instructed, then crawled over to the sink and grabbed some paper towels. He set them aflame with the lighter before sneaking up behind the vampire that was busy trying to bite Michael and fend off an annoying attack by Brian. When Emmett and Ted realized that Brian was trying to distract the vampire, they struggled to their feet and helped him.

Xander held the burning paper towels to the vampire’s hair and clothes. It caught fire, screaming when the pain registered. Its grip on Michael lessened as it tried frantically to beat the flames out, and Brian pulled him away. Xander retrieved his stake from the thoroughly distracted vampire and plunged it into the vamp’s heart through its back. It exploded into a cloud of dust that slowly drifted to the floor. Xander sneezed.

“Fire,” he said breathlessly. “I forgot to mention fire, which’ll also kill ‘em. As will sunlight.” He slumped against the wall. “Everyone all right?”

Emmett and Ted groaned.

“Michael’s bleeding,” Brian said.

“I’m fine,” Michael insisted. “It’s just...ow.”

* * *

  
It was nearly dawn before everyone had been cleaned up and bandaged, and the entire story told to Debbie and Vic three times before they believed it. Xander sat in one of the chairs in the living room staring at his new t-shirt, which had been torn during the melee.

Emmett knelt before him. “How ya doin’?”

“My shirt’s ruined,” Xander said. He hadn’t even been sure he really liked the shirt, but now it seemed like a symbol of his life.

“I meant your shoulder.” Emmett pointed towards the bandage that covered a shallow gouge where the vampire had gotten him with the stake.

“I’ll live. This is actually one of my least serious injuries.”

Silence fell, and Xander looked up to see everyone staring back at him. Ted was sitting on the couch, and Brian was lying down, his legs thrown over Ted’s lap. Vic sat in the chair beside him, and Debbie stood in the kitchen with her arm around Michael as if she was afraid to let him go.

“I thought you usually ran like a girl,” Brian said as if he didn’t really care.

Xander shrugged. “I don’t really run that fast.”

“Thank you,” Debbie said.

“For what? Introducing you to the _really_ seedy side of life?”

“For saving my son.”

Xander blushed. “I didn’t do anything....”

“Don’t give me that! You’re a hero.”

“Not so much,” Xander denied. “It was more a matter of self-preservation.”

“Bullshit!” Debbie snorted.

“Besides,” Xander went on, “if Buffy had been here, I most definitely would have called for help. Then you’d have seen a real hero in action.”

“Buffy. She’s your friend, this...vampire slayer?”

“Yeah.” Xander stood and pulled his wallet out, removed a picture, and handed it to Debbie. “She’s the blonde.”

“Of course she is,” Brian muttered.

“She’s pretty,” Debbie said. “Who’s the redhead?” She handed the picture to Michael.

“Willow. She’s been my best friend since we were five.”

“What about Jesse?” Michael asked as he handed the photo to Ted.

Xander blanched. “What about him?”

“You mentioned him the other day when we were looking at the comic books, I got the impression he was your best friend.”

Xander slowly drew another picture out of his wallet and looked at it. He and Jesse smiled at the camera, their arms thrown over each other’s shoulders. He handed it to Michael. “This is Jesse. He’s dead now. He....” Xander swallowed hard. “He was turned into a vampire. I staked him.”

“Oh, baby, I’m so sorry!” Emmett said.

“It’s okay. It was a while ago. I’m over it,” Xander lied.

“I can see that,” Emmett said, hugging Xander.

Xander pulled away from Emmett and found his jacket. He pulled his stake out and handed it to Debbie. “Here. You shouldn’t walk home alone after dark, just in case. But if you have to....”

“I always wondered why you made sure I had a ride home.” She looked at the stake. “I can’t take that, it’s yours. Besides, I wouldn’t know how to use it.”

“I can make another one. And you practice with it.” He took her hand and placed the stake in it, and then groaned as Emmett and Debbie double-team-hugged him.

“What would you need?” Brian asked.

Xander gave him a puzzled look instead of speaking, since he wasn’t sure he could draw air anyway.

“To make more stakes,” Brian clarified.

* * *

  
Debbie had a picnic for Xander’s last day in Pittsburgh. They ate outside on a picnic table in the back yard, and then helped Debbie clean up. When everyone was sprawled out on the lounge chairs or grass, and nearly asleep from having eaten too much, Brian disappeared. He reappeared with a small box, which he sat down on the porch step below Xander.

Xander pulled the flap back and peered into the box. It held a dozen dowels about six inches long and one inch in diameter, and several sharp knives. Xander looked up at Brian in surprise.

“If we’re going to need them, you might as well show us how to make them.”

Xander reached into the box for a dowel and knife. He looked them over carefully, turning them in his hands. He grinned. “I didn’t realize how much I miss being home,” he said softly, and then began to skillfully sharpen one end of the dowel.

After watching Xander for a few minutes, Brian got his own out and set to work. Michael got one and joined Xander on the steps.

“I’d help, but I just had a manicure,” Emmett said.

“I’m kinda clumsy, but I’ll give it a shot,” Ted offered.

* * *

  
The next morning Xander packed his car and said goodbye to Vic, and then met Michael and the others at the diner for breakfast. He got hugs goodbye from everyone except Brian, including Luis, who kissed him on the lips and then winked at him. When Debbie pulled him into her arms he had a moment where he thought she wasn’t going to let him go, which was actually kind of nice.

“Drive safe,” she sniffled.

“I will,” he promised.

The others headed off to work, and Xander got into his car to begin the long drive home. He carried a lot of wonderful memories of new friends in his heart, and a new, double-headed stake in his pocket. He was looking forward to telling Buffy, Willow, and Giles all about his road trip. Maybe he’d leave out telling them about that one night in Oxnard, though.

The End


End file.
